Next MCC head must ably take reins of vital community assetRochester D&C Guest EssayMarch 19, 2008For the first time in 26 years, Monroe Community College will look outsidethe institution to identify its next president. President R. Thomas Flynn will retirein 2008 after eight years as president and 34 years of service to MCC. Since heannounced his retirement plans last June, the College community has beendeeply involved in the process used to select his successor.Recent news stories have questioned whether local politics may play apart in the selection process. Leaving those issues aside for the moment, wewould like to address a more basic question: why should anyone not directlyassociated with MCC care about the selection of our new president? Theanswer, simply put, is that if you live in the greater Rochester community youalready have strong connections to MCC.First, chances are good that one of your children or your neighbor’schildren will attend MCC. The days when community colleges served only totrain the local workforce are long gone. As the cost of a college educationcontinues to rise, many students with outstanding academic credentials arechoosing to begin their college education at a two year school. This fall, 25percent of Monroe County high school graduates who went on to college did soat MCC. Nearly 70 percent of MCC students are enrolled in one of more than 80different transfer programs, and our 2006 graduates transferred to more than 130different colleges and universities. To advance our college and our students,MCC’s next president must demonstrate a clear understanding of the learningprocess and a deep and heartfelt commitment to student success.Second, the people on whom you and your family rely in emergencysituations are trained by MCC. Virtually all of our region’s police, fire, andemergency medical personnel receive an MCC education. Each year anaverage of 200 MCC graduates enter our community health services field asnurses, radiology technicians, dental hygienists, or massage therapists. MCC’snext president must understand and commit to the role of the community collegein providing quality education for developing career skills.Third, along with many other colleges and universities in our region, MCCbrings significant economic benefits to our community. The College’s ability todevelop and deliver specialized training programs in response to ever-changingtechnologies gives businesses in our region access to affordable training for current workers as well as a steady supply of future employees. Since 2002, 80local companies have hired 23,000 MCC graduates. Last year MCC’s Office of Workforce Development provided training to nearly 9,000 individuals from morethan 700 different companies and agencies in our community. And best of all,
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